eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) manages an online auction and shopping site where people buy and sell goods and services around the world.

Origins and Ancient History

Founded in San Jose Sept. 4, 1995 by Pierre Omidyar as a computer programmer AuctionWeb, part of a larger personal site includes, among other things, Omidyar own tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Ebola virus.

The first item ever sold on eBay was Omidyar broken laser pointer for $ 13.83. Astonished, he turned to the winner and asked him if he understood that the laser pointer was broken. In its reply to e-mail, the buyer said: "I am a collector of broken laser pointers." The often repeated story that eBay was Omidyar founded to trade PEZ candy dispenser combines with the help of a public relations manager in 1997 made the interest of the media. This was revealed in Adam Cohen's 2002 book and confirmed by eBay.

Jeff Skoll, the company has been hired as the first president and full-time employee in 1996. The company officially changed its name to eBay in September 1997. Originally owned by the town of Echo Bay Technology Group, a consulting firm Omidyar. Omidyar tried to register the domain name EchoBay.com but already found by Echo Bay Mines, a gold mining company, so he shortened during her second choice, eBay.com.

The items and services

Millions of collectibles, appliances, computers, furniture, equipment, vehicles and various other terms are listed, bought and sold every day. Some items are rare and valuable, while many other gadgets that have been discarded dust, if not to show for the thousands of eager competitors from around the world, if you're a big market, no one is ready to find something to buy are. Everything can be sold as it is not illegal or against eBay Prohibited and Restricted Items. Services and intangibles can be sold. E 'fair to say that eBay has revolutionized the collectibles market for the sale by the merger of buyers and sellers in international auction vast and endless e. Large international companies such as IBM, sell their newest products and offer services on eBay using competitive auctions and fixed price shop window. Search regional database make shipping slightly faster and less expensive. Software developers can create applications that integrate with eBay through the eBay API by joining the eBay Developers Program. In June 2005 there were over 15,000 members of the eBay Developers Program, comprising supports a wide range of business applications software for eBay buyers and sellers, and partners of eBay. The dispute on certain items of supply that can be considered a breach of ethical standards created together. For example, the end of 1999 a man offered one of his kidneys for auction on eBay, trying to exploit the lucrative (and the United States, illegal) market for transplantable human organs. On other occasions, people and even entire towns have been listed, often as a joke. In general, companies that violate the terms of the auction agreement to use within a short time after hearing of the auction from an outsider, the company policy is to not pre-approve transactions. eBay is also an easy place for unscrupulous sellers to market counterfeit products, which are difficult to distinguish without careful study of buyers for the first time the auction description. Another service is to sell on eBay, where the public can save items to sell in delivery, while the business takes care of the details of the auction.